1996 Nissan Sentra Owner's Manual - Page 90
1996 Nissan Sentra Manual
Page 90 highlights
STARTING THE ENGINE 1. Apply the parking brake. 2. Automatic transmission: Move the selector lever to P (Park) or N (Neutral). (P preferred.) The shift lever cannot be moved out of P and into any of the other gear positions if the ignition key is turned to OFF or if the key is removed from the switch. The starter is designed not to operate if the shift lever is in one of the driving positions. Manual transmission: Move the gearshift lever to N (Neutral), and depress the clutch pedal to the floor while cranking the engine. The starter is designed not to operate unless the clutch pedal is depressed. 3. Crank the engine with your foot off the accelerator pedal by turning the ignition key to START. Release the key when the engine starts. If the engine starts, but fails to run, repeat the above procedure. - If the engine is very hard to start in extremely cold or hot weather, depress the accelerator pedal fully and 4-11 hold it to help start the engine. - In the summer, when restarting the engine within 30 minutes after it has been stopped, keep the accelerator pedal fully depressed while starting. CAUTION Do not operate the starter for more than 15 seconds at a time. If the engine does not start, wait 10 seconds before cranking again, otherwise the starter could be damaged. PARKING BRAKE OPERATION ASD0603 4. Warm-up Allow the engine to idle for at least 30 seconds after starting. Drive at moderate speed for a short distance first, especially in cold weather. To engage: pull the lever up. To release: pull the lever up slightly, push the button and lower completely. Before driving, be sure the parking brake warning light goes out.